Marauders at Hogwarts
by elven-emma
Summary: It's Lupin's first year at Hogwarts and as soon as he's on the train he meets new friends who will be soon become the marauders.
1. Chapter 1

Marauders at Hogwarts 

Lupin felt extremely nervous. He stood beside the Hogwarts Express and looked at the other students getting on to the train. He was scared by what others might think should they discover his secret. He hoped that Dumbledore's plan to keep him in a safe place (for the sake of others and himself) would work.

Lupin's mother pushed him on to the train. He dragged his trunk with him and placed it on a rack. He soon found an empty compartment for himself and sat by the window. He wore scruffy black robes and dared not stare in to anyone's eyes, so as not to attract attention to himself. He took out a book of spells and began to read; wanting to learn enough, encase his teachers asked him a question on his first day.

The sorting hat was another thing he felt anxious about. He had been told there was nothing to worry about, but he worried none the less. His mother was hoping he would get in to Ravenclaw. She felt that he was smart enough for it. Lupin just hoped that he didn't get in to Slytherin.

'Excuse me, are those seats taken?' a fairly tall and handsome boy stood in the doorway. He had black, shoulder length hair and light eyes. Before Lupin had time to answer the boy sat down opposite him. 'Thanks. Your first year too?'

'Yes it is.' Answered Lupin quietly. 'I'm Remus, Remus Lupin.' He offered his hand politely and the boy shook it. 'Sirius, Sirius Black' imitated Sirius. 'So nervous then?'

'Yes a little, are you?'

'No, of course not! I've done a bit of practising at home so I should be all right. Well I didn't actually practise any spells, but I read about 'em. Well I tried but couldn't be bothered in the end. I see you're reading up on your spells.'

'Yes, well I just want to be prepared. These are just the easy ones.'

'Lets have a look.' Lupin handed over his book and Sirius looked at it, the grin leaving his face. 'Easy? Looks like OWL level to me.' Lupin couldn't help but give a small laugh. He took the book back and showed him the cover. 'It says book 1.'

'Yeah well I err.' But Sirius didn't have to prove himself to Lupin, the train had begun moving and another boy stood at the compartment door. He had short, black messy hair and wore thin, framed glasses. He sat himself down next to Sirius and looked out through the compartment door without a word. Lupin and Sirius looked at each other, looking slightly confused. 'And you are?' asked Sirius, sounding offended. The boy looked at them both as if noticing them for the first time. 'Hmm? Oh sorry. I'm James Potter, it's my first year.'

'Ours too, I'm Sirius and this is Lupin.'

'Nice to meet you both.'

'Are you nervous about the sorting?' asked Lupin, looking up from his book.

'No way! I'm going to definitely be in Griffindor.' said James with a slightly smug look on his face. 'You can't choose you know.' Said Sirius.

'I know but I reckon that I'm brave enough to be in Griffindor. They say that all the heroes were in Gryffindor.'

'A bit cocky for a first year aren't you?' said Sirius. Lupin felt like laughing to see the two having their slightly argumentative conversation.

When the trolley lady came, they each bought a large share of fabulous sweets and shared them amongst themselves. They laughed when Sirius ate a boiling hot boiled sweet by accident. He spat it out in Lupin's direction and he blocked it with his book. James then opened a pack of Bertie Bott's every flavour beans and he was extremely disappointed to find that his first one was tripe flavoured. They thought that they had managed to get a good box when they didn't come across another disgustingly flavoured bean for a while but then Lupin got a pepper flavoured one. Sirius and James laughed to see him cough and splutter but then realised that he was choking and went in to a frenzy of hitting him hard on the back, almost knocking him over.

Once the sweet had been totally consumed, the three sat quietly, too full to speak. Their silence was interrupted when a shouting came from outside. 'Hey Petey? Where you going?' They saw a short, mousy looking boy with fair hair pass by the door. He looked extremely frightened and nervous about something. Sirius got up to see what was going on and went outside the compartment. To his right stood the short boy and to his left stood a tall boy, taller than Sirius. He had hair in a short ponytail and had a mean look on his face. 'What do you want?'

'I want to know what's going on.'

'This doesn't concern you. I just want a little talk with him.' He pointed at the small boy. 'Peter Pettigrew owes me an apology.'

'Well I don't think he needs to apologise to you.'

'Why? Are you going to protect the ikkle baby?'

'Not just him.' said James as he stepped out in to the corridor. 'Me as well.' Lupin decided that he'd rather stay out of the whole thing and sat back to carry on with his reading. Peter crept in to the compartment to stay out of the way and sat where Sirius had previously. Lupin looked up from his book to see the small boy and then looked out at James and Sirius. They both had pulled their sleeves back and clenched their hands in to fists. However a fifth year prefect girl interrupted them. 'What's going on here? No fighting! Go back to your compartments or I'll have to report you.' The three boys gave up and Sirius and James went back inside. However James wouldn't admit defeat. 'Next time I see him I'll…'

'I don't think it's wise to be fighting on your first day.' said Lupin.

'Yeah, best to wait a few weeks until you've learnt a some good spells to use against him.' said Sirius, the grin coming back to his face.

'I didn't mean that.' Lupin returned to his book and Sirius noticed Peter for the first time. 'You alright mate?'

'Yes, yes.' He said quietly, nodding quickly.

A couple of hours later the train pulled up at the station and the first years were lead away to take the boats across the lake.

Once they crossed the lake, the first years waited by the oak doors, which led to the Great Hall. Sirius questioned Peter about what he'd done to make the boy on the train so mad. He laughed when he found out that Peter had accidentally spilt pumpkin juice on him and instead of saying sorry had run a mile.

When it was time the first years were let in to the Great Hall, led by Prof McGonagall. They stood in a line in front of the teacher's table. McGonagall brought out a stool, on which stood an old, tattered hat. 'When I call your name, put on the sorting hat and you will be sorted in to the right house.' She held up a long piece of parchment. 'First up is Black, Sirius.' Sirius walked up to the stool, looking back at Lupin, James and Peter and giving them the thumbs up. He sat on the stool and place the hat on his head. It rested on his head and looked as if it fitted perfectly but then it slipped over his eyes. Sirius heard the hat speaking. 'Hmm there is intelligence here and you are also a good friend. Although you do seem to lack some common sense but you are also brave. You should go in Gryffindor!' The Gryffindor table cheered and Sirius ran over to join them.

After some more students had been placed in various houses McGonagall came to 'Lupin, Remus.' Lupin walked slowly to the stool and stared at the sorting hat. His heart thumped hard in his chest and his hands shook slightly. He placed the hat on his head and pulled it over his eyes, not wanting to look at any of the other students in the eyes. 'Lets see now. You would be good in Ravenclaw, there's a lot of knowledge in this head.'

'Well my mother will be pleased.'

'Your mother? What about you? No, no I think you'd be best in Gryffindor!' Lupin walked over to the cheering Gryffindors, not quite enjoying the attention as much as his friend whom he went to sit next to.

Soon Peter was called up to the sorting hat. The hat sat quite comfortably on his rather large head and everyone could see his squinty eyes. 'You'd be great in Slytherin you know, you'd do well.'

'Bu…but my friends are in Gryffindor. I want to be with them.'

'Well if you say so, then it'll be Gryffindor!' Next up was 'Potter, James' James ran up to the stool and put the sorting hat on. He winked at his friend sitting together at the Gryffindor table. Almost instantly the hat yelled 'Gryffindor!'

When all the first years had been sorted Dumbledor stood up and silence fell. 'Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. Don't worry I shall not keep you from the excellent feast. Now tuck in!' Golden plates of food appeared on the tables and Goblets were filled with various drinks. 'See.' said James with a mouthful of potatoes. 'I told you I'd be in Gryffindor. I'm surprised you got in Peter.' Peter looked up from his plate and didn't say anything. He didn't want to tell them that he almost went to Slytherin. He began doubting that he'd be good enough to be in Gryffindor. Sirius looked over the table at Lupin who was taking a bite out of a large chicken drumstick. 'So happy about the hat's decision?'

'Yeah but my mum wont.'

'Why's that?'

'She wanted me to be in Ravenclaw. I almost was.'

'Nah, Gryffindor's the best.' They didn't say another word after that since they were too busy eating. Once everyone had had their fill of food, the remainders disappeared leaving clean plates. Dumbledor stood up once more and silence fell again. 'Before you all go off to your beds, I must give the usual notices. No students are allowed in the forbidden forest and I must warn you to keep away from the Whomping Willow, the new tree that has just been planted. Do not go near it or you will find out the hard way why it is called the Whomping Willow. Now good night!'

Prefects called the first years together and led them to their common rooms. When they were up the first flight of stairs McGonagall came up to Lupin. 'Remus, will you come to my office please?' James and Sirius looked at him with worried faces as he was walked away. He looked back with a sad smile.

McGonagall walked Lupin in to her office. It was a very plain room and the shelves carried only books. Lupin sat in the chair facing the desk and McGonagall sat behind it. 'As you know we have had to take certain precautions for you so that you will not bring harm to yourself or others.' Lupin gave her a small nod to show that he was listening. 'As you heard a new tree has been planted, the Whomping Willow. Underneath it is a tunnel, which will lead to the shrieking shack in Hogsmead. At full moon you will go in there and wait till morning to come out again. You should be safe there. Do you have any questions?'

'Yes, err, wont the willow hit me?'

'Oh yes, there is a knot in one of its roots. If you press on that the willow will become still. Now I shall take you back to your common room.' She led Lupin out and up some stairs, finally reaching a painting of a fat lady. 'Hippogriff feather.' The painting swung back to allow them through. 'Up those stairs and to your right. Your belongings are all by your bed. Good night!' McGonagall walked back out through the painting.

James stood at the top of the stairs, poking his head round the corner. 'Hey! What was that about?' He gave Lupin quite a shock.

'Oh, err nothing really.'

'You're not in trouble already are you?' he laughed, finding the thought quite impressive.

'No nothing like that.'

'Well come on then, we're up here.' James led the way to the dormitory. Lupin sat down on his bed and felt too tired to change out of his robes but new he had to anyway. Once they were in to their pyjamas they soon fell asleep. Tired out by the early morning and the long trip.

In the middle of the night Lupin awoke. Rays of blue light came through the window and they caught his attention. He swung his feet around and got out of bed. He walked over to the window and looked at the half moon. He knew he still had time before he would turn but the sight of the moon still frightened him and at the same time mesmerised him. 'What you looking at?' came a voice. Lupin turned around to see Sirius sat up in bed. 'Just the moon.'

'I like looking at the moon too but it's our first night, aren't you tired?'

'Yeah, course.' Sirius watched as Lupin climbed back in to his bed. He saw that Lupin's gaze returned to the window. The moon reflected in his eyes. Sirius thought it very odd but was too tired to think about it too much and went back to sleep.


	2. full moon

Marauders at Hogwarts- Part 2 

Owls swooped down in to the Great Hall through open windows. Some dropped their parcels and letters from a height, letting them land neatly in front of their owners. Some landed on the table, swooping off quickly back to the owlery and some stayed to eat titbits.

'Ow!' James cried as his eagle owl gave him a large nip on his knuckle.

'What is it?' asked Sirius as he helped himself to a large portion of jam.

'This bloody owl! He keeps biting me. Here.' He said while he gave the owl some bacon fat. Satisfied the owl flew away to eat in peace.

'What's your owl called by the way?' asked Lupin as he looked over the Daily Prophet.

'Well he's called, Owl!'

'You mean you haven't given him a name yet?'

'Of course I have. It's Owl!'

'Wow you're so inventive aren't you?' said Sirius sarcastically.

'Alright then, you think of a name.'

'Err how about… Eegore! You know like the guy with the hump?'

'Nah that Owl's too proud he'd be offended. I wouldn't get any mail.'

'How about Tallow?' said Lupin, reading the name from the paper.

'Yeah all right, nice one mate!'

'Hey where's Petrified Peter?' asked Sirius, 'He was here a minute ago.'

'He didn't want to be late for his first lesson.' said Lupin.

'Which would of course be terrible.' said James jokily, 'why does he have to leave so early we've got plenty of time.'

'I wouldn't be so sure.' said Sirius, noticing that the Hall was almost empty. Lupin looked up from his paper again, looked around him and he and the other two panicked. They grabbed their bags and ran.

Halfway along the corridor, which led to the classroom where they would have their first potions lesson, they bumped in to a small woman in bright pink robes. She was the Divination Teacher. None of them knew her name or had ever spoken to her before but she stopped in front of them and looked as if she'd heard something very shocking. 'You! You are first years are you not?' The three nodded their heads vigorously. 'And you!' she placed her hand on James' head. 'I see a dark future for you but there is also great happiness. You will be married to a beautiful woman and you shall have three girls. Ah!' She said the last word loudly, making the three boys jump. 'I see you are late for an important appointment. Now go!' The three boys ran ahead and skidded in to the classroom 10 minutes late, meeting an angry looking McGonagall. They all sat at the same table as Peter who was by himself.

Their next lesson was potions with the Slytherins. They waited outside in an un-orderly queue. Their teacher arrived just as the bell was going. He wore black robes and had short brown hair and a small nose and mouth. He had a very tired look, as if he had stayed up all night making a plan for the lesson. Which as they discovered when they went in to the classroom, he probably had done. For on the blackboard was a large plan for what looked like the whole year. He walked up to the front of the room. 'I am professor Curning and I will teach you potions. Why have you got your wands out?' he asked some of the students who obviously hadn't got a clue at what they were doing, Sirius included (although he put his wand back quickly.) 'This is a potions lesson. We do no waving of wands here. We brew potions. Now we will be making this potion here!' He pointed to the blackboard and the plan disappeared and instructions for a potion appeared as if an invisible man was writing them. 'It is a simple sleeping potion. However it is only a weak potion so you shall be trying it on yourselves to see if you have made it correctly. If you do it right then it will make you sleep for a couple of minutes. If it is wrong it will have no effect. You may start now and you may ask me for help.'

James paired up with Peter and Lupin paired up with Sirius. Lupin and Sirius did well seeing as Lupin had read about the potion the day before on the train. Sirius kept saying how great it was having a partner who new exactly what to do and left Lupin to do most of it, taking to flicking dried beetles at the table in front. James and Peter's potion however looked completely wrong. According to the instructions it would turn a faint green after the last ingredients were added, but theirs was bright orange. This was because Peter became too nervous whenever Curning walked past and spilt too much of some and not enough of others in to the cauldron.

Near the end of the lesson Sirius tested their potion, happy for a chance to nap in the middle of the day. James was the only one brave enough to try their strange concoction. Soon the classroom was filled with snores (and choking from James). After a couple of minutes the snoring stopped except for Sirius who kept on snoring. 'Oh wake him up!' said Curning loudly. Lupin shook him and shoved him but there was no waking him. 'You made it too strong.'

'No he just drank too much.' Objected Lupin quietly.

'I can see from the thickness and texture that this potion is too strong. And that,' he said, pointing at Peter and James' 'that is completely wrong.' With a wave of his wand the potion vanished. He then looked at everyone else's with small nods at potions, apparently only just satisfied. 'Now this is just right!' he said whilst looking at a potion on the other side of the room. 'Well done Mr…'

'Severus Snape sir.' The small Slytherin boy had a hooked nose and greasy hair that was held behind his ears like curtains.

'Well done, 5 points for Slytherin. I want you all to look at Severus' sleeping potion before you pack away. And I want an essay on what you did wrong and how it should have been done.' After 10 minutes of looking at the perfect potion and packing away, the bell went. Lupin had been left to clear everything away himself as Sirius continued to slumber. The four boys were the only ones left at the end of the lesson.

'So what do we do with him?' asked Lupin.

'Just give him a hard shove, like this.' said James, giving Sirius such a big shove that he feel off his stool and hit the floor, still snoring loudly. 'Why did you have to make the stuff so strong?'

'I didn't he just drank a whole goblet full, he was only supposed to take a sip.'

'We'll have to carry him; it's lunch now anyway. The smell of food should wake him up.'

'Are you sure you can carry him?' squeaked Peter, watching on as Lupin and James each took an arm and placed it over their shoulders. 'I mean you've got to climb all those stairs.'

'We'll manage.' said James. The two managed to drag him up the stairs and to the Entrance Hall when he finally woke up.

'Do I smell food?' he asked, sniffing the air.

'Oh so now you're awake!' said James 'Now that we've carried you all the way to lunch.' He pulled Sirius' arm away from his shoulder and Sirius patted their shoulders and grinned, 'thanks.' He ran off to get his first lunch at Hogwarts.

'He's hopeless.' said Lupin, exhausted.

It was amazing how quickly the time flew past. Their lessons sometimes were hard and their homework sometimes dragged in to the night but overall the four boys managed to get through it. Sometimes they surprised themselves by how much they had learnt. However someone wasn't quite so pleased with the quick passing of time. Full moon came all too soon for Lupin.

Sirius, Lupin, Peter and Sirius sat round a table near the fire in the Gryffindor common room. They scribbled and scrawled on bits of parchment, in a hurry to get their homework done. Lupin snapped his book closed and stared nervously out of the window. 'Finished already?' asked James.

'Yeah, I've err got to go to the library. To check this is right.' He stood up and walked towards the portrait hole and turned back. 'Oh and don't bother waiting for me if I'm late.' He was gone before any of them had the chance to tell him that they weren't allowed to wander the corridors late at night.

Lupin walked quickly down the many stairs and corridors and finally reached the Entrance hall. His heart missed a beat when he saw that a teacher was at the bottom of the stairs and then remembered that he was allowed to go out at night when it was full moon. He walked slowly and cautiously down the stairs and the man turned to face him. It was Dumbledore. 'Here at last I see. I came to see if you were all right with our little plan.'

'Yes sir, I'm fine.'

'Good, good. Now do you need me to show you the way?'

'No it's ok, I know they way.'

'Excellent, well I'll say goodnight to you. There is a hot chocolate waiting for me in the kitchens.' With a wink he walked away and Lupin ran out the large oak doors. He ran as fast as he could to the Whomping Willow. When he got there he tried to remember what McGonagall had said. However touching the knotted root wasn't so easy. When he came any where near the tree it swung a branch at him. He looked up at the ever-darkening sky and panicked. He quickly searched for a long stick or branch of some kind. He went a little way in to the Dark Forest and he found a long enough stick propped up against a tree as if it had been left there purposefully. He ran back to the tree and poked the knotted root. The tree instantly froze and Lupin ran in to the small gap between the tree and the ground. He slid down in to a passageway. The walks were wet and quiet drips of water could be heard. He ran onwards and finally reached a trap door. Lupin climbed through it. He had made it to the Shrieking Shack. It was like a cross between a very large house and a wooden hut. Lupin looked out of the window and saw something creep in to view. His eyes were wide open as they stared at it and they began to change. His eyes turned yellow, his face lengthened in to a snout. He sprouted fur and cried out in pain as a tail grew and his feet became a different shape. He had become a werewolf and he howled at the moon.

Back in Gryffindor tower, Sirius awoke and glanced over at Lupin's bed. He had still not returned. He was worried at what had happened. He was worried that maybe Lupin had been caught wandering around late at night and had got in to serious trouble. Or perhaps he had done something truly terrible and gotten himself expelled. But no, Sirius thought to himself, he wouldn't have done anything bad enough to be expelled, not Lupin. Something caught his attention, the brightness of the moon. Then Sirius noticed that it was a full moon. James ruined his train of thought when he whispered 'Still not back yet?' Sirius shook his head and they both went back to sleep.


	3. Quidditch and theft

Marauders at Hogwarts part 3 

The next morning Sirius, James and Peter went down to the great hall and found Lupin sitting there eating his breakfast. He looked very ruffled and tired but he was very much there and un-expelled. He had bags under his eyes and his skin was slightly pale. Lupin felt tired and quite weak, the transformation the previous night had been painful. There were scratches and bites under his clothes where other people couldn't see. They were there because as a wolf he had taken to biting himself in his boredom because he had no human prey.

'How you feeling Remus?' asked James cautiously as he sat opposite him at the Gryffindor table. 'You were gone all night, we thought you'd been expelled!'

'No,' Lupin replied with a smile, 'of course not. Anyway I did come back but you were all asleep. Then I left for an early breakfast.'

'I woke up in the middle of the night and you were gone!' said Sirius, 'Wasn't he James?'

'That's right.' said James. 'And Peter saw your empty bed too, didn't you peter?'

'Err well…' began Peter, 'I went to sleep straight away and didn't wake up at all.'

'Look,' said Lupin, 'I arrived quite late and fell asleep with the covers over my head, it probably looked like I had an empty bed.' The others seemed to be satisfied for the moment and began eating their food. Lupin began to worry at how he was going to keep on like this, disappearing every full moon. He tried to shake off his worries and continued with his breakfast.

The next Saturday was Lupin's chance to forget his worries. It was the first quidditch match of the year. Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor. There was a lot of excitement and tension between students sat at the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables. The Hufflepuffs were excited too but the Slytherins didn't seem too bothered. They were all just hoping to see someone thrown off their broom or hit in the head by a bludger.

Saturday finally came and James was waiting in the common room for Sirius. The Quidditch match was about to start. The common room was empty except for a few stragglers and a couple of people from the sixth year trying to catch up on some coursework. They didn't seem as excited as James, probably because they'd seen it all before.

"Come on Sirius! We're going to miss the start of the match!" shouted James, starting to get impatient. This was going to be the first proper quidditch match he was going to see and he didn't want to miss a second.

"Relax, we'll make it," Said Sirius as he strolled down the stairs. As Sirius reached the last step James grabbed his sleeve to pull him along and hurry him up.

"Lupin and Peter are already there."

Peter and Lupin had managed to find a good spot to sit in. Peter looked around for the other two but he still couldn't see them anywhere.

"Shouldn't we keep some seats for them?" asked Peter

"It's a bit late now isn't it?" replied Lupin looking at the seat next to him, now filled by a Gryffindor from the year above, "It's their own fault for not getting here on time. But knowing Sirius he'll manage to get the best seats whether someone had taken them or not."

Peter squealed as someone pushed him aside to fit in next to him. Lupin then found himself being pushed closer to Peter as someone along the bench forced themselves in. Lupin wasn't enjoying this, he was close to leaving and not bothering with the match at all. He hated crowds and even worse was the fact that people kept knocking against his scratches from full moon.

As James and Sirius reached the end of the corridor James followed it to the left, but Sirius took the right turn. James took 5 paces when he realised Sirius wasn't next to him. He looked around to see Sirius was walking in the opposite direction.

"Sirius you're going the wrong way! I thought you said you knew your way around here now."

"Oh I know where I'm going," replied Sirius not even turning around to face James.

"But that goes to the library." Sirius didn't even bother replying this time. "What you're not going to the match?"

"Nope."

James sighed and then ran after Sirius until he was next to him once again.

"Ok, what are you up to?"

"Everyone's at the match right? So what a perfect time to go to the library, it'll be peaceful, quiet and most importantly empty."

"And you're so keen to go there, why?"

"To take out a very special book," James glanced out of a window as they walked past, he could see the stadium. The match was about to start.

"Oh we're going to miss the start. Well you are anyway, I'm off." Just as James turned to walk in the other direction Sirius grabbed his robes.

"Oh no you don't, I need you. You're going to be my look out."

"Your what?" As James was dragged closer to the library it was only then that it clicked. "The restricted section, you're going to steal from the restricted section aren't you?"

"Such little faith, I'm going to borrow one…maybe two if I see something else I like."

James was still slightly perplexed. Why would Sirius, of all people, find it so important to get a book?

Cheers came from every mouth as the match started. The bludgers flew around at frightening speed attempting to knock people off their brooms. The quaffle was being passed between two of the Ravenclaws chasers. Just as they reached the goals one of the chasers was knocked off by a bludger. Cries of sympathy (mostly "ooh") came from the Ravenclaws and cheers came from some nasty looking Slytherins. A Gryffindor took back the quaffle and headed towards the other end of the pitch.

Peter watched in awe at the players but winced when a bludger headed in his direction, scared it would actually fly at him, only for it to be batted away towards a Gryffindor chaser. Quidditch looked so exciting to Peter but it scared him a bit as well. He looked to his left to see if Lupin was enjoying himself only to find he wasn't watching the game but the crowds instead.

"You alright?"

"I can't see the others. I knew they'd be late but not this late. I wouldn't think it odd but James seemed so determined to see this. It's just weird for him to miss this."

"They might be here somewhere I mean it's hard to spot anyone in this crowd."

Lupin had done nothing but look for them when the match had started and he knew they weren't here. Those two were up to something.

James leaned against the wall. He hadn't heard anything or seen anyone. Clearly everyone else was enjoying the quidditch match. He couldn't help but feel like Sirius owed him for this. Because of him he'd missed the first quidditch match of the season.

Sirius approached the locked cabinet. He knew there were spells that prevented it to be opened by magic. He rummaged in his pocket for a hairpin. He couldn't open it by magic, but he could unlock it another way. Most people didn't learn this kind of trick thinking it was just for muggles but Sirius saw them as important skills.

James heard a loud cheer. Someone must have scored a goal, he wondered who was winning. There was no point going back now, the match was almost over. James was about to go and see how Sirius was getting along when his ears pricked. It was a teacher coming round the corner. James froze on the spot; it was Curning the potions master.

"Mr Potter what are you doing here? Not enjoying the match?"

"Err well…" started James

"We thought we'd return this while it was quiet." Said Sirius, holding up an old looking book. Curning lifted an eyebrow.

"Looking at your past assignments I wouldn't have thought you'd actually read," Sirius restrained himself from talking back. "May I ask you something"

"Of course sir." Replied Sirius.

"If you're returning the book why are still holding it?"

"There's no one in to collect it."

"Well then I suppose I can take it back for you."

James and Sirius glanced at each other.

"Actually sir I was going to take it out after him so I might as well take it now." Said James

"The match is nearly over you may as well go straight to your common room." Said Curning implying he meant it more as an instruction than a suggestion. He turned on his heel and was gone in a sweep of robes.

James turned to glare at Sirius.

"What?" asked Sirius innocently.

…………………………..

Sirius and James sat in comfy armchairs by the fire in the common room. Sirius put the book he had been holding on the table.

"You didn't have to say that about borrowing it you know," said Sirius.

"Oh? And Why's that?" demanded James, slightly annoyed he'd risked lying to a teacher for no reason.

"That book was a decoy; he could've had it back. This," he said whilst removing a second book from underneath his robes, "is the book I really wanted to take." The book looked old and faded. Sirius grinned at James before rifling through the pages of the book.

"Well?" questioned Sirius.

"Well what?" answered James, not looking too impressed.

"Aren't you going to ask me what's in the book?" Sirius looked eager but James merely sighed.

"Fine, what's in the book?" he asked patiently.

"Well it has loads of information about magical creatures, dark magical creatures and half breeds and allsorts!"

James was curious as to why this idea thrilled him so much but his train of thought was interrupted as people were coming in through the entrance, looking quite cheerful and amongst them were Peter with a smile on his face and Lupin who didn't look too happy. James turned to kneel on his chair and looked over the back of it to see his friends.

"So did we win?"

"Yeah by ten points!" squeaked Peter.

"Excellent! So what's up with you then?" he asked Lupin.

"It's nothing, I'm just not a big fan of crowds that's all."

"Fair enough"

"Well I wouldn't stay around in here mate," said Sirius not looking up from the book, "if we won they'll be celebrating all night." Lupin frowned, apparently perplexed to see Sirius so interested in a book.

Lupin went upstairs to put away his Gryffindor badge and scarf and was tempted to stay but decided he should at least stay for some of the celebrations. Sirius turned out to be quite right as the common room quickly became packed and food and drinks miraculously seemed to have appeared on tables with everyone digging in. The quidditch team were the centre of attention, especially the Seeker whom everyone felt had caught the Snitch at exactly the right moment. The seeker was a slim and tall seventh year with brown hair as long as school rules would allow.

Despite his contempt for crowds Lupin still managed to have an exceptionally good night, spirits were high and Lupin felt so happy to have three good friends to laugh with. Sirius and Peter managed to sneak a small mountain of cakes back to their dormitories. And James promised them they'd see him as the Gryffindor's seeker the next year but the others simply laughed.


End file.
